Law firms cutting deals with Trump show 'absolute cowardice': Sanders
3 Min Read
Senator Bernie Sanders criticized law firms that caved to Donald Trump's executive orders, accusing them of "absolute cowardice" and prioritizing profit over principle.
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Senator Bernie Sanders speaks during a "Fighting Oligarchy: Where We Go From Here" event on March 8, 2025 (AP)
Independent US Senator Bernie Sanders lashed out at law firms that struck deals with Donald Trump's administration after the president issued executive orders targeting attorneys who challenged his policies, saying they are displaying "absolute cowardice".
"They're zillion-dollar law firms, and money, money, money" is all that motivates them, the popular Vermont congressman who caucuses with Democrats said in a feature interview on the most recent CBS Sunday Morning. "So they're going to sell out their souls to be able to make money here in Washington."
Sanders' remarks included a strong denunciation of legal firms who had represented Trump's political adversaries before taking the route of least resistance once he issued directives that threatened to damage them.
The directives attempted to remove security clearances, prohibit attorneys from entering federal premises, and require the targeted firm's clients to reveal any existing contacts with the government.
Some of the most well-known legal practices in the United States eventually gave up. Willkie Farr & Gallagher, Milbank LLP, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom all made agreements with the White House to evade Trump's demands.
In exchange, the businesses would do pro bono work for issues close to them and Trump while also refusing to participate in race-based recruiting.
Some businesses, on the other hand, have attempted to stand up to Trump. Perkins Coie obtained a court injunction barring portions of Trump's executive order that targeted the business. Hundreds of legal firms and retired judges have signed court filings backing Perkins Coie's resistance to Trump.
Meanwhile, after suing against Trump's instructions, Jenner & Block and WilmerHale were able to get court rulings that halted the majority of his actions against them.
Alumni of the legal firms that have bowed to Trump have voiced some of the harshest criticism for taking that course of action.
On Sunday, CBS questioned Sanders about how much it cost the United States when some of its most affluent institutions broke in such a fashion during a confrontation with Trump. "It is indescribable," Sanders explained.
Sanders also said on Sunday that many of Trump's actions roughly three months into his second term had transformed the United States into a "pseudo-democracy". He highlighted how Trump charged Elon Musk, the world's richest individual, with reducing the size and financing of numerous federal government departments and services.
The billionaire who owns Tesla, SpaceX, and X earned the post after spending more than $270 million backing Trump's winning presidential campaign in November.
"Look, you get one vote, and Elon Musk can spend $270m to help elect Trump," Sanders said on CBS. "Does that sound like a democracy to you?"
